Umbra Witch
by Bijuu
Summary: Millennia ago, there lived a clan named the Umbra Witches. Now, the clan was extinct, the last witches soul devoured. Naruko enters her mind and discovers one of the demon's whom had devoured an Umbra Witches soul. Female!Naruto, Female!Kyuubi.
1. Prologue: The kit and a bijuu

**Summar****y**_**: **_Millennia ago, there lived a clan of witches – powerful beyond imagination – named the Umbra Witches. Now, the clan was extinct, the last witches soul devoured. An abused, weakened Naruko enters her mind and discovers one of the demon's whom had devoured an Umbra Witches soul. Female!Naruto, Female!Kyuubi. Crossover with Bayonetta.

**Disclaimer**_**: **_I don't own Naruto/Bayonetta or any of the characters/concepts, blah, blah, blah.

**A/N**_**:**_ A new story, my second one, in fact. This plot bunny has been churning around inside my head for, at least, two weeks now. I decided to start penning it and soon, it came to life. So now, here it is. This is the second Naruto/Bayonetta crossover I've seen on the site. Yes, it's a Female!Naruto story. I wasn't sure how I'd fit a male Naruto into the story with this premise. Also, any butchered word in dialog is purposeful.

Anyway, on with to the story.

* * *

**Umbra Witch**

_Prologue: The kit and a bijuu._

* * *

Six years.

Six long, tortured years. She could remember each harsh, stinging word clear as day. _Demon child..._ they said. _Monster..._ they jeered. It was an endless cacophony of mental torture, one her innocent, malleable mind absorbed.

Blows rained down upon her petite, malnourished form, a sickening _crack_ echoing in her ears, followed by a delighted snigger from her assaulter. She could feel a warm liquid running down her upper lip, followed by an intense, throbbing pain dulling her senses. Her mind was growing darker and darker with each painful blow, her awareness slipping every single second underneath the constant, physical abuse.

"I... I'm s-sorry!" she wailed, her voice cracking. She wasn't sure what she was apologizing for, but, she _had_ to try. She heard a humorless chuckle leave her assailants mouth; she suddenly was silenced, her broken nose shattering further as the man landed a precision stomp. Warm, salty tears dripped down her cheeks before her consciousness was washed away underneath the loud _thunk_ of blows raining down upon her helpless body.

"There's nothing to apologize for, demon," she heard the voice sneer, her half-lidded cerulean eyes unable to properly see in the dim, unlighted forest. The natural, ambient sounds did nothing to soothe the abused jinchuuriki (_human sacrifice_), her vision dimming further as she watched the man extract a polished silver kunai, his fingers running reverently over the polished surface. She could hear a soft, almost crazed muttering.

_'W... What d-did I d-d-doo...?'_ she thought in her final moments of consciousness before she finally succumbed to the welcoming darkness.

* * *

She opened her eyes with a sudden gasp, a shudder rolling throughout her body. A small, delicate hand gingerly probed her nose, flinching in surprise when she found the formerly broken appendage whole. She could still feel phantom pains wracking throughout her body, but, she felt... whole. Undamaged, even.

She could feel the endless haze slowly lifting from her mind, causing the malnourished girl to blink, her brain slowly starting to register the cool water lapping against her prone form; interesting enough, she was laying _on_ the water instead of _in_ it. She shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs from her mind as she hesitantly stood, the bizarre water supporting her negligible weight.

_'W... W-What?'_ she wiggled her toes experimentally before twisting her head about in every single direction, barely noticing her slightly damp blonde ponytails whipping about her face. Her damp, off-white tee-shirt clung to her figure, her fingers absently plucking at the cotton material.

Darkness.

It stretched endlessly. She wondered blearily where she happened to be, her dim eyesight unable to disconcern anything from the inky, endless black encircling her. Her ears twitched.

_Drip._

_Drip._

_Drip._

She almost shrunk in on herself.

_'T-This is creepy!'_ she thought nervously.

She swiveled on her heel, starting off in a random direction. She knew standing around like an idiot wouldn't lead her to answers. Her ears perked again. She could detect footsteps. Were they her own echoing or was there another creature present with her? She wasn't sure she wanted that particular answer, her eyes darting to and fro, trying desperately to discover the source of the ghostly noses. Her delicate fingers curled against her damp, ankle-length white skirt.

_Drip._

_Drip._

_Drip._

Her mind begged her to discover the origins of the constant, phantom noises, her nervous, fearful eyes darting to each unseen corner.

_'C-Calm down, Naruko. T... There's n-nothing there,'_ she thought timidly. She was desperately trying to convince herself. Her ears perked, detecting a dull, rumbling echo in the distance. It was barely disconcernable through the constant assault of ghostly noises. Immediately, she spun herself in the correct direction and started jogging, heading toward where she heard the rumbling, the vice grip on her slightly damp skirt increasing.

Fear started to grip her very soul.

She propelled herself through the darkness, echoing splashes sounding when her feet connected with the water beneath her. Her mind focused singularly on the low rumbling. She noted the noise was growing louder, the echoing, ghostly footsteps starting to blend into the ambient background noises, lowering her paranoia ever-so-slightly. However, a subtle shivering started, whether from her cold, damp clothing or her increasing paranoia, Naruko couldn't tell. Her whole being was focused upon heading toward this noise.

It was calling to her.

She tripped suddenly, her eyes immediately clenching fearfully, her ears filling with the dull, muted sound of her body connecting with the water present beneath her. Gingerly, she probed the surprisingly solid ground, her delicate fingers piercing through the watery curtain easily.

_'S-Strange...'_ she frowned. She could feel body easily supported, but her fingers had passed through seamlessly. Absently, she noticed rumbling had increased a level. Now, it filled her ears, it traveled throughout her very soul. It triggered a sudden, primal fear etched deep within her mind, rolling shudders passing through her form without a single hitch. Naruko's breath hitched. Her breathing started to grow erratic. She surged to her feet, desperately ignoring the primal fear gripping her soul with an unrelenting vice grip, memories starting to assault her malleable, innocent mind, her body shaking as she recalled each hateful word.

She suddenly launched forward, a desperate need to purge the assaulting memories becoming the driving force surging through her legs. Unnoticed, tears started dripping down her cheeks. She tripped and stumbled, but she caught herself, pushing forward. Her thoughts were awhirl, unable to grasp a single, stationary thought for more then a moment before an all-consuming fear continued to push her forward.

* * *

She wasn't sure how long she ran before she finally fell. Her body connected with the strange water once more. Unlike last time, she couldn't summon the strength to surge to her feet. She curled in on herself and broke out into soul-wrenching sobs, her thoughts a distant jumble of dark memories, of past mental torture. She could almost feel the phantom pain assaulting her body, random, spasmodic twitches jerking her body.

Her head jerked upward suddenly, her ears catching note of a mysterious nose. Her clenched eyes flashed open, red-rimmed cerulean orbs staring upward. She finally took note of her surroundings.

Gargantuan, towering bars were the first thing she noticed. The second was a simple, ragged paper ofuda with the kanji for 'seal' etched into it. Everything beyond the gate, however, was pitch black, an endless, stretching abyss. However, seconds later, massive crimson orbs obscured her blurred vision. They stared, unflinchingly, into her timid, emerald-eyed gaze.

A deep, bellowing laugh suddenly broke the stalemate. The laugh, while carrying an undertone of mirth, triggered a primal fear to grip the timid girl, causing her eyes to slam shut.

**"What a... delicious surprise,"** a voice purred, the tone carrying a mirthful lit. Hesitant, the small girl's eyes fluttered open once more, finding herself once again staring at the looming crimson orbs. Fear gripped her soul, but she controlled herself.

"W... W-Who...?" she wondered, nibbling nervously on her bottom lip. She could almost feel the grin directed at her.

**"Who, indeed,"** it – the eyes – seemed amused. There was a shift, almost like the sound of rustling cloth before the massive, crimson orbs were replaced by a much more comforting visage.

She was gorgeous, Naruko noticed immediately, her emerald-eyed gaze widening. She had bright, dazzlingly so, crimson hair; it appeared to flow down to the middle of her back, much like a waterfall might cascade off a cliff. Her skin was a flawless, pale alabaster, her face an unmistakable visage of feminine beauty. Her slender body was curved and sloped in all the right places. She had three whisker marks adorning each cheek – just as she did, Naruko noted – but they were thicker, more noticeable. Her eyes were the same looming, crimson iris' she had observed not even a minute ago with slitted pupils. She wore a flawless ivory kimono, a set of crimson flames licking the bottom hem; the clothing didn't reveal much, but it accentuated each of her curves perfectly, the soft material forming against her body seamlessly, almost like a second skin. Her clothing was completed by a bright red obi stretched across her midsection, tied into a bow in the back.

Naruko suddenly felt self-conscious. This mysterious woman exluded an ethereal presence. She scrambled from her curled position, furiously wiping her reddened, puffy eyes. A soft, feminine giggle drew her eyes back to the imposing figure.

**"Isn't that cute?"** she seemed amused. Her voice had quieted; instead of the previous booming echo, it carried a soft, feminine alto pitched voice. Naruko noticed another interesting fact about the woman. Settled behind her, she sported nine long, flowing crimson tails, shaped like a foxes.

"U-Uwaa...?" she blinked, confused, her head tipping to the side. She shook her head, whipping her slightly damp ponytails about. "W... Who are you, m-miss?" she questioned, her voice polite and fearful. Her past experiences with adults – other then Sandaime-ojiisan – happened to be quite negative.

Her question drew an amused smile from the beautiful woman. **"I'm the Kyuubi no Kitsune,"** she responded. Naruko bobbed her head in understanding, her wide-eyed gaze traveling up and down the woman's figure. Her astonished gaze settled on her head; two fluffy, triangular-shaped fox ears settled on her head, the color of the furred appendages matching her crimson locks perfectly.

"I... It's nice to meet you, K-Kyuubi-san," she said politely, lowering her gaze to the enchanting beauty's face. She turned her head to and fro once before returning her gaze to Kyuubi. "D... Do you know where we might be, Kyuubi-san...?" she asked hesitantly. She could still sense (and see) the encroaching darkness spread for miles upon miles and it was starting to unnerve the timid six-year old. Naruko's companion paused, her nine enchanting tails flickering behind her.

**"We're inside your mind, kit,"** Kyuubi answered, drawing a blank stare from the young girl. She shook her head, amused, drawing her right arm out in a wide, sweeping gesture. **"This entire expanse is your mind space, kit. When you sustained enough damage from your beating -"** here, she received a flinch from Naruko, **"- you lost consciousness and landed here,"** she finished, pointing a slender finger forward, behind where the young jinchuuriki had run from. Instinctively, Naruko craned her head backward, gazing into the inky blackness, turning her head back toward the Kyuubi after a few moments of silent staring.

Nervous, Naruko gulped. "K-Kyuubi-san, umm..." she hesitated, flinching when the demoness' eyes suddenly snapped toward her, the crimson iris' pouring fear into her very soul. Bravely, she pushed onward, "Why are y-you here then?" she wondered, her fingers curling into her skirt, trying to ignore the unflinching, red-eyed gaze.

Kyuubi didn't respond immediately. '_**Hmm? She doesn't realize I've been sealed inside her,**_' she pondered, her eyes snapping suddenly to the left, almost causing the young jinchuuriki to jump. Her eyes landed on the innocent ofuda, the stark black kanji for 'seal' conflicting with the tattered white paper. Her lips curled upward into a smile. If her jailer was ignorant, she could manipulate this to her advantage. Finally, she started to speak, but her eyes remained locked upon the slip of paper. **'Six years ago,"** she started, immediately catching her containers attention once more, **"there was a man, Uchiha Madara, a depraved, immortal man. He had mastered the final secrets of the Mangekyou Sharingan, granting him immortality. However, this wasn't all he was granted.**

**Due to... circumstances, the Mangekyou also allowed a Uchiha to control a bijuu,"** she trailed her gaze downward, to her container. She could see the gears shifting; moments later, Naruko's eyes widened in surprise.

"Y-You mean..." she stammered out. Kyuubi simply nodded, answering the stuttering girl's question.

**"Yes. When Madara controlled me, he decided to carry out his petty revenge against Konoha. The Yondaime, however, stopped my crazed ramage, using a technique he called the Shiki Fuujin to seal me within an innocent child,"** said Kyuubi, her burning gaze locked onto Naruko's quivering, cerulean orbs.

"Y-You're the reason the village hates me," she murmured in disbelief. Memories assaulted her. _Demon! Monster! Fox Child! _However, before her thoughts could continue, the Kyuubi interrupted.

**"Yes. I'm sorry you had to suffer, kit,"** she said sincerely, a genial smile spreading across her lips. Naruko nibbled on her bottom lip, both her conscious and heart struggling with each other. One side argued the Kyuubi was the cause for all her suffering; the other side declared the nine-tailed bijuu had informed the abused child of the one question that plagued her thoughts since she was old enough to remember.

"I... I understand, Kyuubi-san," she said finally, her heart winning over her mind. She was rewarded with a beautiful grin from Kyuubi, a self-conscious flush jumping to her cheeks.

**"Good, good. Now, if you wouldn't mind..."** said Kyuubi, making a wide, sweeping gesture toward the towering, several hundred foot bars separating them. Naruko simply stared blankly. She sighed, reminding herself the young girl was only six, bordering on seven in a few weeks. **"As the host, you can control all aspects of your mindscape, kit. You simply need to **_**will**_** the bars to disappear and they'll vanish without a trace,"** she commented. She saw her jailers blank stare turn nervous. Hastily, she correct herself, lest she lose the trust she might've gained, **"I won't be unleashed nor will I be allowed to leave. It'll simply give me more freedom to wander,"** said the demoness, hoping to reassure the six year-old. Here, Naruko's nervous gaze turned once more, this time, a look of concentration washing over her face.

A bright, white flash illuminated the mindscape, allowing the young jinchuuriki to finally see past the encroaching darkness. She glimpsed what appeared to be walls – similar to those you'd find in sewer – before she shielded her eyes, unwilling to blind herself merely to sate her curiosity. When the light died, she returned her sight to the Kyubbi, immediately noticing a new addition to the demoness' attire. Her neck, once bare, now had a non-descript obsidian collar stretched across her throat. There, a single, pure white kanji was etched, the symbol for 'seal' display clearly.

**"Well, that wasn't exactly unexpected,"** sneered the fox demoness, her delicate fingers fiddling with the newest addition to her person. She shrugged, stepping forward before crouching, her crimson iris' boring into Naruko's own wide-eyed gaze. **"Thank you, kit,"** she said, her lips curling into a smile, her right hand ruffling the six year-olds slightly damp hair, her tails flickering behind her.

"You're welcome, Kyuubi-san," said Naruko politely. Kyuubi stood, clasping her hands behind her back, her long, slender legs starting to carry the other-worldly woman in a random direction. Hastily, Naruko rose, afraid to be left alone, even if she knew she now controlled the sewer-like mindscape; her mind suddenly clicked on an idea, her face scrunching as she concentrated. Slowly, a low, buzzing hum started to fill her ears, lights clicking on, stretched at random intervals. However, the sewer was illuminated, allowing the girl to spot tubes running down the length of her mindscape. Curiosity filled her.

"Ano, Kyuubi-san..." she trailed off, flinching instinctively when the silent demoness stopped, swiveled on her heel and stared at the blonde-haired girl.

**"Yes?"** she questioned, raising an elegant eyebrow. Naruko fidgeted.

"W-Well, what are those pipes?" she asked, gesturing toward the several thick pipes intertwining and disappearing into the now-illuminated mindscape. Kyuubi blinked and turned toward them, her eyes narrowing. She nodded to herself after a moment of inspection.

**"Those, kit, are the pipes that control your chakra network. When in use, the pipes **–**"** here, the demoness gestured toward the several pipes, **"**– **will be illuminated by chakra. However, you, my little container, have two different sources. Due to the sealing, you gained a few bonuses: godly stamina, a second chakra source, slightly heighten senses and more potent chakra. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the Shiki Fuujin, it causes miniscule amounts of my chakra to constantly mix with your own, royally screwing with your chakra control,"** she finished. She sighed when she saw the lost, confused stare of her jailer. **"Basically, you won't be able to due techniques requiring low amounts of chakra without extensive practice,"** she said, a look of understanding crossing Naruko's whiskered face.

"Oh! I understand," she nodded firmly. She hadn't started the academy, yet, but she was schedule to start next semester. She had been surprised when Sarutobi had informed her, since, most adults and chuunin disliked or outright hated the young girl. She hadn't realized the benevolent leader had forced the administrators to allow her entrance. After all, when the Sandaime Hokage, the fabled 'Professor', ordered you, one simply obeyed, whether they disagreed with his opinion or not. "I... I haven't started the academy yet, though, Kyuubi-san. Sandaime-ojiisan said I could start next se... sem... semester, though," she said proudly, puffing out her chest.

Kyuubi shook her head, leaning down and ruffling the young girls damp hair once again. **"That's wonderful news, kit. I'm sure you'll be a splendid kunoichi,"** she said, causing Naruko's face to split into an endearing, fox-like grin. However, Kyuubi's enhanced vision noticed the affection-starved girl leaning slightly into her palm. She pondered this face, absently stroking the young girls scalp. _**'Hmm...'**_ she thought. Her iris' darkened, shifting through the jinchuuriki's memories; unlike Naruko, she was several millennia old and thus, she could control all aspects of the mindscape easily. She hadn't informed her container of a simple fact: dispelling the towering cage allowed the demoness' full access to influence her mind. Subtly, with Naruko unaware, she was adding miniscule amounts of her chakra to further influence the young girl without her consent.

_**'She is young. Malleable. She could be easily molded; but, I need to be careful. One mistake and I could lose her trust. She's starved for attention. As far as I know, three people **_–_**'**_unbidden, three names jumped to the forefront of her mind: Sarutobi, Teuchi and Ayame. _**'**_–_** have shown Naruko anything less then absolute disgust, not counting several ANBU whom had stopped several more rambunctious villages from assaulting her. However, today was different,**_**'** she frowned, her nose wrinkling. Today was the first time Naruko had been physically assaulted. She knew the Sandaime was benevolent, but his genial personality only went so far before he reached a breaking point. _**'But, I can use this to my advantage,'**_ she thought, grinning. It wasn't a pleasant grin, either. _**'Now, the question is, how do I solidify my trust in this kit?'**_ she pondered. She couldn't offer human jutsu; kitsune techniques were also a no-go. While her jailer was a container, she wasn't a demon, unless...

**"Naruko!"** she barked suddenly. Naruko jumped, shocked from her own thoughts, which had been churning uncertainly. **"You start the academy in a few weeks. However, how would you like to have an... advantage?"** she questioned, snapping her gaze downward to the petite child, who suddenly looked similar to a 'deer caught in the headlights'.

_'S-She's being nice to... me?'_ she thought, shocked. However, once the initial shock passed, her eyes narrowed. She was growing suspicious, but she didn't want to seem disrespectful. _'S... Should I trust h-her?'_ she wondered, her suspicion turning into hesitance. So far, the demoness had been nothing but truthful to her. She had explained the villagers reasons for the constant, hateful words, even if she didn't agree. She didn't think she was a demon or a monster. In fact, the nine-tailed bijuu was acting more humane then the so-called 'humans' she interacted with on a daily basis with the notable exception of three. Still, she hesitated before discarding her worries.

"A-Ano... If you don't mind me asking, what a-advantage would I get, Kyuubi-san?" she wondered.

**"Hmm, I'm not sure actually, kit. I'm several millennia old, but, almost all my arts require the pupil to be, at least, partially demon,"** said Kyuubi, folding her legs underneath her, hovering inches from the carpet of water underneath them. Naruko's eyes widened in surprise. Unbidden, a mirthful chuckle escaped from the demoness' mouth, **"Yes, I can hover. It's a simple manipulation of the mindscape,"** she waved her hand dismissively. **"You can do it too, if you concentrate, try it. Simply imagine yourself hovering,"** she said. Naruko looked skeptical. **"Trust me, kit,"** she smiled, curling her tails about her waist, forming an impromptu belt.

Naruko still appeared hesitant, but she nodded her assent. Her nose scrunched in concentration, trying to imagine herself hovering, just as the kitsune in front of her was. A small, almost unnoticeable ripple appeared beneath her before she was lifted off her feet. A surprised squeak escaped from her mouth, drawing another chuckle from Kyuubi.

**"See? Easy,"** she grinned, watching the young girl scramble into a proper sitting position. **"Now..."** she started, drawing Naruko's rapt attention. **"Unfortunately for you, I have minimal knowledge of human jutsu **–" here, her container started to pout, **"**–** but, I do have a series of techniques I can offer. However, there's a **_**small**_** drawback..."** she trailed off, immediately catching the inquisitive young girls attention.

"A... drawback?" questioned Naruko, her fingers curling into her skirt. She was unsure if she wanted to know this drawback, especially with how the Kyuubi had simply trailed off, unsure. In the few minutes she had spent with the demoness, she was sure and confident. Bravely, she pressed on, "W... What's the problem with the... te... tec... tecknique?" she stumbled over the last word.

**"Technique, kit,"** corrected Kyuubi automatically. She continued after Naruko nodded her understanding, **"Thousands of years ago, before the Rikudou Sennin's time, there was a clan of witches whom referred to themselves as Umbra Witches. Now, there's nothing particularly impressive about the name, but there is something interesting about their methods,"** she waved her hand to stall any forthcoming questions, causing the young jinchuuriki's mouth to snap closed. **"These witches used no jutsu or chakra to fuel their techniques,"** she ignored Naruko's shocked gasp. **"Instead, they used reiki, or soul energy. It's had several different names, but the most common in these times happened to be magic, thus giving these women the title of 'witches'. Reiki is essentially the spiritual portion of your chakra with ki being the physical half.**

**They had several, powerful techniques at their dispostal. The kicker, however, is the fact if they wanted to use these powers, they needed to sacrifice their soul to a demon,"** she finished. She was surprised she hadn't heard an exclamation from her jailer. When she turned her gaze downward, she found the girl was simply staring blankly. She palmed her face. **"Your soul is... Well, precious, for lack of a better word. A human **–** or any creatures soul **–** is what makes that person or creature them. Without a soul, you'd simply be a body,"** she explained. Now, she saw Naruko's eyes widen and her mouth drop open in surprise.

"W-What!? These..." she struggled with her turmoilous thoughts, "... witches sackreficed –" she ignored the Kyuubi's muttered correction, plowing onward, "– their souls for power?" she finished, distraught. Kyuubi nodded. _'I... I can't believe anyone would do that!'_ she thought, unable to comprehend how they'd live with themselves. Blearily, she noticed Kyuubi was speaking once again, refocusing her attention upon the crimson-eyed vixen.

**"...es, it's surprising, but the Umbra Witches had done these for millenia. They didn't think it strange. The sacrifice wasn't for nothing, however. These witches gained unbelievable power. They could summon demon constructs made from hair; they could construct clothing from it, as well," **she listed, Naruko's attention firmly refocused upon the demon. Her curiosity, however, wouldn't stop bugging her.

"A-Ano, Kyuubi-san...?" she started, surprising the demon.

**"Yes, kit?"** Kyuubi frowned, annoying she had been interrupted. Bravely, Naruko pushed onward.

"H... How do you know all this...?" she asked hesitantly. A shudder passed through her body when she saw a grin split across the vixen's whiskered cheeks.

**"Why, I devoured one of the witches souls, of course,"** she informed the girl, ignoring the disturbed shudder that passed through Naruko's form. **"Sure, it might seem disturbing, but, she willingly sacrificed her soul for power. Who was I to say 'no' to?"** she licked her lips. **"And, don't worry, it was **_**delicious**_**," **she purred, further disturbing the impressionable young human. **"Anyway, after they offered their soul, the demon and witch would enter a contract. During the duration of this contract, however, the witch would be allow to mold the demon's power, giving them unbelievable strength. Even with the contract, the witch needed to forcefully mold and control the power. Some spent years simply training their control because of how violate and aggressive the power was. Once they managed control, they were allowed an almost unlimited source of power, only limited by how much of the demon's energy they could control,"** she finished, turning her eyes toward her container who appeared suitably impressed, but also hesitant.

"K-Kyuubi-san, I don't mean to be rude, b–" she was interrupted by the bijuu.

**"Kit, I know what you're about to ask. 'Why would I sacrifice my soul?' I could see how that'd be daunting. There's a method around this, actually, but..."** Kyuubi stopped, appearing hesitant. _**'Now, the question is, will Naruko accept?' **_she wondered. Luckily, it seemed, Naruko's hesitant had dimmed, instead, replaced by a burning curiosity.

"H-How would that work?" she questioned, her fingers absently fiddling with the material of her skirt. Kyuubi gave herself a mental grin.

_**'Perfect.' **_she thought before answering her containers question,**"Since I'm one of the most powerful demons, I can transfer and fuse our chakra together. This will allow you much easier control of my youki and subsequently, your own chakra. With enough exposure, you'll start to produce demonic chakra instead of human. Unfortunately, I've never been sealed before. I wouldn't know what'd happen. Most likely, you'd gain more distinguising features, such as, a darker hair color, perhaps deeper whisker marks. You might even gain a foxy appendage or two,"** she finished, twitching both her furred ears and tails, suddenly drawing Naruko's attention toward them.

"B-But, I'd be a demon then!" she cried in distress, causing the several millennia old demoness to roll her eyes.

**"Kit, even if you'd gain more... distinguishing features of my containment, you're the **_**furthest**_** thing I've seen from a demon. Trust me, I've seen hundreds of thousands of demons in my lifetime. You might grow a touch more aggressive, which,"** her gaze trailed over Naruko's timid posture and petite figure, **"you could do with. You're one of the most timid little humans I've ever seen,"** she said, leaning back on her pocket of air. Her nose wrinkled; she could smell the apprehension and fear rolling off the young container in waves. She was _very_ tempted to sneak a peak inside her mind, but she decided against it. Instead, she simply waited, ignorant to Naruko's inner turmoil.

On one hand, the girl was absolutely delighted. Kyuubi had offered her techniques. _Powerful_ techniques. She wasn't quite sure how powerful, but she didn't think the demoness would exaggerate... at least, she hoped not. Her explanation had intrigued the girl, especially after she mentioned there was a method to bypass the whole 'sacrifice your soul to a powerful demon' aspect. That, however, is where her turmoil began. The bijuu was unsure what would happen if she forced more youki into her coils. That didn't give her much comfort, especially after the possible outcomes. She _didn't_ want to become the demon the villagers referred to her as; she knew the truth now. She was determined to not succumb to their jeers any longer. If she was being completely honest to herself, she wasn't worried about the bigoted villagers.

_'Sandaime-ojiisan... Teuchi-jiisan... Ayame-oneechan,'_ she thought. She was worried about her three precious people. How would they view her, if, she appeared more like the bijuu the entire population of Konoha feared? She wasn't sure if she wanted the answer. Somehow, she _knew_ the villagers wouldn't treat her different, no matter how she looked or acted. She could be the perfect little angel and the villagers would still believe her to be the spawn of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Still, she hesitated.

"Kyuubi-san..." she started, waiting until the relaxing demoness refocused her attention upon the young girl. "I... If I grew ears and a tail like you, would I be able to hide them?" she finished. Her unease was palpable.

**"I'm sorry, kit, but they're not,"** she answered, throwing the young girls thoughts into even more turmoil. _**'At least, not with human illusions,'**_ she thought, withholding the information from the nervous human. She leaned back once more, relaxing, patiently awaiting the young kit's decision. It was obvious where her own thoughts lay.

_'I... I can't hide them...'_ she moaned, burying her face in her palms. Her depression was keenly obvious. Was it worth the risk? Unnaturally powerful techniques sounded wonderful. Kyuubi explained clearly she was unsure what would happen if she fused too much youki with her. It might be a smal, superficial change; it could also leave her with unnatural attachments, which would fuel the citizens dark theories.

"K-Kyuubi-san," her stuttering returned, alerting Kyuubi to her increasing nervousness. "W-What would happen if I decided not to accept?" she bit her bottom lip. She didn't want to anger the seemingly benevolent demoness. She saw a frown mar the bijuu's whiskered cheeks.

**"If you decided not to accept, nothing would happen. If you decided not to accept and train regardless, well, when you perished, your soul would be devoured,"** she said firmly. She didn't inform the human that _she'd_ be the one devouring her soul nor that the Shiki Fuujin would immediately destroy both her and subsequently, her container.

Naruko nodded. She had figured it'd be something similar to what Kyuubi had confirmed. Would it be worth the risk? Would Sandaime-ojiisan be proud? Would Teuchi and Ayame still enjoy her company? Or, would they betray her trust and start to scorn her like the other villagers? Her thoughts continued to churn, her fidgeting growing as she tried to decide. She had a feeling her decision would be life-changing.

"I... I..." she stammered, steadying herself with a single, deep breath. "I accept, Kyuubi-san," she finished. She watched the voluptuous demoness straighten herself out, a wide grin starting to spread across her cheeks.

**"Peeerfect."**

* * *

**A/N****:** Whew. That was a long prologue. I've taken some liberties with the history and I will continue to do so. There's not really that much information available, especially about how the techniques are done. If you haven't guessed

Now, onto a few facts.

1. Anyone that has played Bayonetta, don't dispair. She won't be _near_ as powerful as the heroine. She probably won't even be a hundredth as powerful as her. She won't start tossing around sixty-ton, two-headed dragons like a toy, nor will she have inexhaustible power, either. Trust me, while I do enjoy a good godly!Naruto story (Naruto, the Black Mage comes to mind) as much as the next person, I'm not sure I could keep it entertaining. She'll be powerful, sure, but she won't be able to demolish jounin with ease when she graduates. Trust me.

2. Currently, there are no pairings decided. I'm not good with romance. If there is a romance, it'll be yuri. Even if it does turn into yuri eventually, there will be _**no **_lemons, limes, grapefruit, melons or whatever the hell people decided to name such actions. Personally, I find them tasteless, especially when the story draws me in and then suddenly, SEX!

3. I have no plans for the Bayonetta accessories/weapons (at least, weapons like Pillow Talk, the Bazillions or Rodin) to make an appearance nor overpowered techniques, such as 'Witch Time'. Frankly, those would be overpowered and I wouldn't enjoy writing scenes. If I can decide how to include the weapons/accessories without fundamentally changing them or causing them to be too powerful, then sure, I'll include them. Techniques like 'The Crow Within' or 'The Beast Within' could make an appearance, but, as of now, there's no plans. Wicked Weaves will make an appearance, of course, but she won't throw them around like candies. Hopefully, I can incorporate the technique in a balanced way. We'll see.

4. I'm trying to decide between giving Naruko demon aspects – namely ears, a tail, perhaps sharper finger. If I do give them, they won't be hidden. I mean, so many fics allow Naruto/Naruko to become half-demons, but then they can easily hide the proof. It just feels like a cop out, to me.

I do hope you enjoyed the story, though. I have a forum up where you can discuss the story thus far, or, simply post a review (or, do both, *coughs*). I also have a topic where I'll be posting chapter progress updates, if I remember.

See you next time.


	2. Ch 1: Sarutobi's Rage

**Disclaimer**_**: **_I don't own Naruto/Bayonetta or any of the characters/concepts, blah, blah, blah.

**A/N**_**:**_ My second chapter. This is for all the Sarutobi lovers and council haters. I'm sure this chapter will make someone equally excited. I definitely enjoyed writing the first half of this chapter. I found myself giddy with excitement and crackling several times during this. Now, I don't want to spoil anything, so...

On with the story.

* * *

**Umbra Witch**

_Chapter 1: Sarutobi's rage_

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen was _pissed._

First, six years ago, his promising successor had sacrificed himself to seal an infinitely powerful demon inside a newborn child. His _own_ newborn child, in fact. In his infinite wisdom, he had revealed this secret, only to hastily regret the decision and impose an S-class secret. The sentence? Treason of the highest order, punishable by execution, to be carried out immediately. The Yondaime had wanted his daughter to be seen as a hero; unfortunately, the bigots saw the innocent, whiskered jinchuuriki as the demon it contained, not it's jailor.

Six years of relative peace had lulled him into a false sense of security. He was extremely disappointed in his own village, but he couldn't punish them – as much as he wanted to – for inflicting her young, impressionable mind with hateful curses and sneers. He couldn't persecute young children, whom had been manipulated by their parents to ostracize the young whiskered girl. He'd seen the most vehement supporters of Naruko's death coax their children into beating the defenseless child. However, the adults never directly interfered nor broke his self-imposed protection. He was powerless and they knew it. If he wasn't in office, he was sure the child would've been killed an hour after the Shiki Fuujin was completed.

He had left the village for three days, several weeks before the annual celebration of the Kyuubi no Kitsune's defeat. His presence was needed with his daimyo. He felt uneasy, but what could he do? He assigned squads of ANBU to protect the innocent child and left. He ignored the impending sense of gloom. He visited Naruko before he departed, who reassured 'Sandaime-ojiisan' that she'd be perfectly fine for a few days.

Oh, how wrong he was.

Unlike before, the benevolent Sandaime wasn't going to let this incident be swept underneath the carpet.

* * *

Hiruzen groaned, his old bones creaking as he stretched, a wrinkled hand massaging his aching shoulder. He spent three days in the company of politics and paperwork, eerily reminiscent of his beloved village. He wondered if he'd ever be relinquished of his duties. He'd just returned from his impromptu meeting, his eyelids dropping. He shook himself awake. He had more important things to attend to, namely, checking on his way-ward charge and insuring she was in perfect health. He could see the impressive figure of the Hokage Tower loom into view.

His gait increased, absently waving toward the two jounin guarding the green wooden doors of the Hokage Tower, tipping the wide-brimmed hat low, the red and white cloth shadowing his face from view. When he left, he had ignored his common sense. Now, he was anxious to check on the young jinchuuriki, especially with how close the annual festival and celebration was. Nothing too severe had happened... yet. He dearly wished he could trust his home village, but he wasn't one to count his chickens before they hatched. He noted his secretary was gone, the inevitable paperwork looming precariously on the corner of her desk. He shook his head, brushing past her desk and continuing into his spacious office, pushing the twin doors open with a single, wrinkle hand. He immediately made his way to his comfortable chair, relaxing into the plush cushions, a relieved sigh escaping from his mouth.

'_Oh, how I missed this chair_,' he mused, relaxing for a few minutes. After word, he cleared his head, opening a specific drawer in his expansive, wooden desk: third drawer from the bottom on the right. In here, settled on a plush, purple cushion rested a round, clear orb. He remembered all the good times he had, err... _checking_ the spa areas for possible spies. Despite himself, he released a perverted giggle before shaking his head, slapping himself on the cheek. _'Focus, Sarutobi, focus! Don't get distracted,'_ he nodded. He took the fragile orb from it's compartment, balancing it easily in his right hand while his left extracted the cushion, replacing both on his polished, wooden desk.

"Toomegane no Jutsu (Telescope Technique)," he murmured quietly, placing both his wrinkled hands over the cloudy orb, watching the mist slowly disappearing, his thoughts focused on his way-ward grandchild. Towering, leafy green obscured his vision for a few silent moments before the swirling mist disappeared completely, showing the aged Third Hokage a screen he desperately _never_ wanted to see.

His grand-daughter, the innocent, abused six year-old was beaten harshly. Her nose had been broken several times, the appendage twisted at gruesome angles. Her clothes – while not the best quality – had been shredded into unrecognizable rags; her malnourished form was decorated with black and blue, nasty bruises spread across her arms, legs and torso, several wounds flowing freely with her blood. He noted with relief her underwear was still in tact; he wasn't sure if he'd be able to control himself if he found the flimsy cloth destroyed. Her biggest wound, however, disappointed him. He saw a polished silver kunai impaled against her stomach, in the direct middle where the Shiki Fuujin stood, a torrent of red lifeblood flowing freely from the nasty gash. In the direct middle of her chest, the words 'FOX DEMON' stood out starkly, carved into her pale skin.

His initial shock had faded in mere moments, replaced by an burning, _unholy_ rage. His concentration broke abruptly – interrupted by the despicable scene he'd witnessed – causing the fragile crystal ball to swirl with a cloudy, unseeing mist once more.

**"ANBU!"** he bellowed, killing intent flooding the spacious room, smothering the air with it's oppressive atmosphere. Immediately, his personal guard appeared in mere moments, three devoted Konoha-nin dropping to their knees, fists placed over their hearts in a salute. Each ANBU operative wore a specific mask: a dog, a cat and a tiger. Each nin wore the standard ANBU regalia; a sleek, white breastplate encased their chest, strapped over a sleeveless, skin-tight black body suit. Elbow length black gloves covered their forearms, leaving only their shoulders exposed, on which, the standard ANBU tattoo was etched, a simple swirling flame with a curved line running underneath it. White, plated guards covered both forearms, with each Konoha-nin carrying standard nin-apparel; a navy-blue shuriken holster strapped to their right thigh, followed by a tan hip pouch secured firmly to their waist. In addition to this, each shinobi was outfitted with a standard, mass-produced ninjatō, the sheath made from the same dull white material as the chest plate.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" questioned the dog-masked ANBU calmly, despite the oppressive, smothering atmosphere. His mask was dull ivory with few distinguishing features, four of which were crimson lines etched into the ceramic material, two on each side and curled against the cheeks. Sarutobi took a few quiet moments to calm himself, sinking deep into the plush chair.

"I want you to _immediately_ head to the outskirts of the eastern gates, recover Uzumaki Naruko and escort her to the hospital. Inform the current staff they're to treat her on _my_ orders. You're allowed to use _any_ means necessary to receive treatment for her," he explained in clipped, no-nonsense tones, stressing certain words. His once genial tone was abandoned and he once again embraced his crafted persona, the Professor, the self-proclaimed 'God of Shinobi'.

"Understood, Hokage-sama," replied the mysterious, dog-faced ANBU. "By your leave," he stated. Sarutobi waved his hand dismissively, the three operatives disappearing in a synchronized swirl of leaves.

Sarutobi released a frustrated sigh and viciously reigned his killing intent, the oppressive atmosphere disappearing in mere moments, as quickly as it had arrived. He reached into his right sleeve, extracting his signature, ornamented wooden pipe, one of his few vices. He removed the appropriate amount of tabacoo from the ceramic container sitting on his desk, carefully packing the pipe before lighting it with a fire jutsu. He took a deep, soothing drag on the pipe, letting smoke curl and dance in the air as he exhaled, relaxing into his cushioned chair.

He'd stayed passive for six long years.

Now, it was time to tan a few well-deserving hides.

* * *

Two hours later found Sarutobi traveling to the common meeting chambers, the location where the shinobi and civilian council met to discuss and delegate over village business. While he would've taken action immediately, he needed the time to reign his temper and soothe his battered nerves. Now, he was ready and willing to dole out punishment. Unnoticed, the three devoted ANBU shadowed the irate Sandaime.

_'Time for the show,'_ he thought, pushing the wide, double doors open with unnecessary force, an echoing _bang_ startling the gathered council members, the aged shinobi sweeping into the room, his white and red robes billowing about his ankles, his faced shadowed by the veiled, triangular hat.

Inside the room, there was a single, rectangular wooden table, stretched from wall to wall and filled with chairs and subsequently, people. The room was wide, more than enough space for the members to mingle with each other when not seated for a meeting. Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on whom you asked – there'd be quite a few bruised egos. Sarutobi took his customary seat at the head, his two advisers flanking the aged man on either side: Utatane Koharu, a serious, no-nonsense woman sat to his left while Mitokado Homura, an aged, glasses-wearing elderly man sat to his right. Sarutobi steepled his fingers, resting his wrinkled chin against the platform, sweeping his wizened gaze from person to person.

"Honored council members," he started. Immediately, each person, civilian or shinobi stilled. Usually, Sarutobi conduced himself as an easy-going, genial man. Now, his tones were clipped with no hint of his usual warmth. Each person in the room turned a guarded gaze toward the aged shinobi. "As you know, I've recently returned from a three-day retreat with the fire daimyo –" here, each person in the room nodded, but Sarutobi continued thusly, "– and I was looking forward to, at least, one peaceful day of relaxation before returning to my duties," he finished, his tone growing cold near the end of his monologue. There was a few moments of suffering silence before a random, civilian council member broke the sudden silence permeating the chambers.

"H-Hokage-sama," he gulped, suddenly finding himself the center of Sarutobi's steely gaze. Still, he pushed forward, "W... What is this all about? Did Daimyo-sama, err..." he started to sweat, squirming in his padded seat, unused to being the center of everyone's attention. "D-Did he want to inform us of anything?" he rushed out, hurriedly wiping his sweating brow, his nervousness being palpable. Sarutobi's steely gaze finally lifted from the councilman, drawing a relieved breath from the scrutinized civilian.

"No, no. Daimyou-sama simply wanted an update on all the facilities in Konoha and local going-ons. He wanted to make sure everyone was running... _smoothly,_" he finished, the last word successfully stilling the filled room once more. Suddenly, Sarutobi's hand slammed down against the thick, wooden table, easily cracking the sturdy surface, a spider web of cracks stretching out from where his wrinkled hand lay. His killing intent flooded the room without warning, turning the relaxed atmosphere into an oppressive, smothering environment. Several civilian council members fainted from the sheer intensity, while the shinobi forces started to sweat, each person turning part-nervous, part-fearful eyes toward the genial Sarutobi, erratic chakra snapping in the air, whipping at the traditional kage robes.

"_**Oh no**_, you wouldn't be _that_ lucky, honored council members. This is about a single, _innocent_ citizen of Konoha, a six year-old _orphaned girl_, in fact," he stressed key words and suddenly, it clicked in each conscious persons mind. The Kyuubi no Kitsune jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruko. One of the more stoic shinobi, Hyuuga Hizashi, turned his pale iris' toward the raging shinobi. Even he – a man known for his cold, detached visage – was sweating, perhaps not as profusely as some.

"Hokage-sama, what about the Kyuubi jinchuuriki?" Hiashi questioned. As the head of the famous Hyuuga clan, he had the tell-tale Byakugan, coloring his iris' pale and eliminating his pupils, making the skilled shinobi appear blind. In actuality, he had excellent, three-hundred fifty eight degree vision with his bloodline limit active. Dressed in a traditional dark green kimono denoting his noble status with handsome features and straight, shoulder-length black hair, he was the proud husband of a single daughter with another on the way. While his clan bared no ill-will toward the container, none of the Hyuuga members went out of their way to help her either, unless she was being unjustly abused. Unlike Hiashi, it seemed no one else was willing to risk Sarutobi's ire, especially with the smothering killing intent he was producing.

"Oh, nothing much," said Sarutobi casually, but another sudden explosion of killing intent jerked several people backward. "I just returned home to find her _**brutally beaten**_ with a _**kunai**_ –" he hinted, drawing several gasps from the shinobi side, "– stabbed through her stomach with _**FOX DEMON**_ carved into her skin!" he bellowed, raising from his chair suddenly, his robes billowing about the raging shinobi. "I'm sure everyone can see how... _immensely displeased_ I am," he said, slowly starting to pace around the room, his cold, unflinching gaze boring into each and every person present, even the well-hidden ANBU spread throughout the entire room, a total of four. He stopped his prowling after one slow, full circle, returning to his position at the head. The oppressive killing intent had lessened, but not lifted, allowing each person to breath a touch easier.

"But now, I just want the culprits to confess themselves. I promise to make your death quick and painless if you confess," he promised sincerely, his hooded eyes boring into each person, daring them to speak. Finally, after a few minutes of suffering silence, a woman spoke from the civilian council.

"H-H-Hokage-sama, no one would try to hurt the de–," she faltered underneath Sarutobi's sudden, chilling gaze,"– c-child underneath your protection," she rushed out, hoping to appease the legendary shinobi's ire. A mirthless chuckle escaped from Sarutobi, surprising everyone.

"Now, now..." he shook his head before suddenly, his fish slammed down, going straight through the thick, wooden table, a cloud of dust and splinters erupting from where the aged kage's fist impacted. "**DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A GOD DAMNED FOOL!?**" he roared, snapping his head toward the cowering woman. "**I'M THE FUCKING HOKAGE! I'VE BEEN PASSIVE THESE PAST SIX YEARS, TRYING TO APPEASE EVERYONE, BUT NO MORE!**" he made a jerking, sweeping gesture with his hands, the same three ANBU appearing instantly. "_**NOW, **_**IT'S TIME TO INFORM YOU TO **_**WHY**_** I'M THE THIRD HOKAGE! ANBU, ARREST THEM!**" he bellowed, pointing at three, specific members of the civilian council. Without further prompt, the three ANBU apprehended each civilian easily, twisting their arms around their backs, ignoring their futile struggles. Sarutobi swiveled on his heel, his eyes boring into each person still present. "Does anyone else wish to test my patience?" he questioned. When no one responded, his suffering, oppressive killing intent disappeared.

"Dismissed. ANBU, take those three traitors to Ibiki. I'm sure he'd love some company," he said stiffly, swiveling on his heel and marching out the door, his robes billowing behind him, leaving the council chambers in utter silence, except for the screaming protests of the three arrested civilians, who looked toward the other members pleadingly. All they received were pity or amusement before they were dragged away, struggling and screaming unholy protests, the council chambers left once more in silence.

Suddenly, a feral-looking woman, Inuzuka Tsume, starting chuckling before breaking out into full-blown laughter.

"FUCK! That was awesome!" she cheered, her lips curled into a feral smile, small fangs peaking out from between her upper lip. While no one else was quite as vocal, each shinobi was silently agreeing, even the militant Danzo. It was finally refreshing to see the legendary shinobi taking an aggressive stance to what he believed in.

The God of Shinobi, the 'Professor' was back.

* * *

**A/N:** Whew, the first chapter is out now and well, I've got to say, I enjoyed writing this one _immensely_. I couldn't stand to see Sarutobi constantly taking flack from people. My Sarutobi, while seemingly OOC compared to canon, is a legendary, _powerful_ shinobi, even if he's a genial old man. He won't take shit from the council, as you can see from above. This chapter was a touch rushed and shorter then the prologue, simply because I wanted to get this one out there before my internet cut itself off. Still, I'm pleased this one is done. I'm sure several people have been wondering what Sarutobi might do when faced with his adopted grand-daughters condition.

Cookies to everyone who can guess the mysterious ANBU, even if they are rather obvious. Well, except maybe the tiger-masked one.

Anyway, I'll have another chapter ready once I get internet back after I move. I promise that one will be longer.

For anyone that didn't read the update chapter, my internet is going out soon, due to my moving. I'll be offline for about a month or so. I wanted to post this chapter before my internet died, since I wasn't sure how long I had. Hopefully, everyone enjoyed this chapter. Expect me back within a month or so with a new chapter, oozing with goodness. (at least, I hope)

'til next time, Bijuu signing out.


	3. Umbra Witch isn't dead! An update

**I'm not dead.**

Now that's outta the way, I'd like to reiterate. I'm not dead. Umbra Witch **has not **been abandoned.

Since my move, I've been having computer problems and the chapters I wrote for the story have been stored on the hard drive and subsequently, I need to re-write them, which, I'm working on now.

Two months without a computer and then having your work lost is a killer, but I'm still writing this story.

I just wanted to let anyone interested know I haven't abandoned the story. Computer troubles happen and I seem to have a distinct luck with computers, it seems.

To anyone interested, keep the faith. I'll continue to update, I hope to get the next chapter up within a week or two.

'til next time,

Bijuu.


	4. Ch 2: The Interrogator and the Demon

**A/N:** And, I'm back. For an AWESOME return with another chapter, re-written from scratch, sadly. But, here it is.

* * *

**Umbra Witch  
**_Chapter 2: The Interrogator and the Demon_

**_

* * *

_**

Ibiki gazed through the one-way window into the interrogation chamber, the small room lighted dimly by a single, hanging light bulb. Two chairs, one on either side of the small, worn rectangular table were the only notable furniture available or seen through the gloom.

One chair was currently occupied by a forty-something obese man, shackles on both his wrists and ankles keeping the civilian councilman wrapped firmly in place. Sweat congealed on his forehead, matting his muddy, cropped brown hair against his scalp and forehead; he, of course, had good reason to sweat, being the latest personal victim of Morino Ibiki - torture specialist of Konoha's ANBU forces - known throughout the Five Great Shinobi Countries as one of _the best_ torture and interrogator specialists available.

Ibiki took another brief glance downward, toward the clipboard held in his grasp. Morisato Shinichi, forty-three, one of the nine esteemed civilian councilman allowed to serve, to help balance out the shinobi ideals with non-combatant reasoning. A coward described this man perfectly. If he could avoid it, he never dirtied his hands, preferring to use his amassed wealth - gained through an international spice trade - to carry out his missions. Unfortunately, the man - while smart - lacked common sense. While his wealth was impressive, it did little when he was frightened so easily, allowing Sarutobi all the needed information - through body language and expressions - to deduct this man and the two other arrested civilian councilmember's were the instigators in the jinchuuriki's recent attack. Ibiki thought it was pitiful.

"I'm going in," he atoned, receiving a nod from the mask ANBU standing nearby also observing the obese spice trader. Two long strides took him to the door connecting the two rooms, the rumble of the opening door causing the cowardly civilian to jump, jolting the deadlocked chair where it stood. When he saw Ibiki appear, his eyes widened, a shudder running through his body.

"Hello, _honored_ councilman," he sneered, steps purposely slow, his trench coat billowing about his heels. His scarred face was twisted into an amused smile. His response was a fearful whimper from the obese spice trader. Ibiki held up his clipboard, which Shinichi's eyes immediately jumped to. "Do you know what this is, Morisato?" he inquired.

"N... N-No, I d-d-don't," he gulped, mud-brown eyes locked onto that innocent wooden clipboard. Oh, his mind conjured fearful images. Possible torture methods? An execution order?

"This _innocent_ little piece of _wood_ -," he started, drawing out the sentence unnecessarily long, playing on the councilman's frayed nerves, "- contains _all_ your records, honored councilman. You do realize what this means, correct? You're smart enough to comprehend your fate, aren't you?" he wondered, reaching the table and slamming the clipboard against the table, the noise causing the jittery noble to jump suddenly, another feared whimper escaping from between quivering lips.

"I... I... B-B-But..!" he sputtered incoherently, grasping for some believable excuse. Surely, the ANBU couldn't have... "I-I'm innocent!" he wailed suddenly. Here, Ibiki couldn't resist the urge to roll his eyes.

"That's the most pitiful excuse I've heard, councilman. Surely, someone of your... _intelligence_ -," he sneered, "- could think of another, more believable excuse. Alas, it seems, you're just another _pathetic, insignificant worm_," he growled. "If you confess, Morisato, the Sandaime promised to make your execution swift and painless. You can either spill the information or sit there and blubber for an hour while I break through your pathetic shell, picking you apart... _slowly_... piece by piece," he drawled, clasping his hands behind him, leaning forward ever-so-slightly, the dimly lighted room throwing shadows onto his scarred face, appearing all the more imposing. "Now, which shall it be, Morisato? Personally, I hope you refuse. I so do _love_ breaking people, to hear them stutter, to see the light slowly fading from those once bright, shining eyes," he said, throwing an amused smile in the direction of the shuddering councilman.

"I... I... I'm i-i-innocent, Ibiki-dono!" he blabbed, the respectful honorific drawing a quirked eyebrow from the torture specialist. "I... I-I was setup! Y-Yeah!" he lied, seeming to gain confidence, head tilting upward, into Ibiki's impassive stare, mud-brown faltering when they met slate-gray. He seemed to deflate. "I... I-I'm innocent! T-Those two bitches set me up, Ibiki-dono! T-Their names are To -" he started, but was interrupted.

"Oh, those two? They broke and revealed the _whole_ scheme, councilman," lied Ibiki smoothly. Shinichi's face fell immediately.

"W-What, b-but...!" he sputtered, utterly confused. Ibiki yawned and inspected his fingernails idly, as if bored with the interrogation.

"Indeed. Your two cohorts spilled their guts in minutes. I must say, _honored_ -," he sneered, "- councilman, you've lasted longer than both of them combined," here, the spice noble seemed to swell, despite his situation, "but, Morisato, I need _information,_" he said, snapping his gaze toward the cowardly fellow, the obese man wilting underneath Ibiki's impassive stare. "_Now,_ Morisato," he growled. "If you want your execution to be painless, you _will_ give me the information I need, Morisato," he said, slate-gray eyes boring into the shuddering, robed nobleman.

"I... I..." he hesitated. It seemed the honored councilman was lasting longer than anticipated, if Ibiki's continued glare was an indication.

"I said _now_, Morisato," he snarled. "While I might be a specialist in mental torture, that doesn't mean I lack more... straightforward methods. You _won't_ like those," he said, a perverse grin twisting his scarred features, the dimly lighted rooms casting shadows upon the imposing shinobi's face. For his efforts, Ibiki received a faint whimper and the faint scent of amonia assaulting his nostrils, further increasing his twisted mockery of a facial feature.

"F-F-Fine! I'll t-t-talk! W-We...!" he blabbed, starting to reveal his entire plan. Ibiki wasted no time in snatching the previously discarded clipboard from it's position and scribbling down the juciy information.

From Morisato Shinichi's almost incoherent blabbering, himself and two cohorts - Kunetsu Tomiki, forty-two, a well-established tailor and Ito Shiho, fifty-two, a restaurant owner specializing in exotic seafood - all hated the jinchuuriki child with an unholy passion, but not due to the usual reasons; they understood the dangers of a shinobi settlement and thus, realized death was commonplace. While revenge was the most frequent excuse used to describe the unfounded hate Naruko found herself upon the receiving end, this time, it was greed.

Ibiki kept his facial expression neutral when he wrote this down, an abridged version, of course. He'd fill out an entire, complete report later, filled with all the necessary information.

"...seemed to _e-e-easy!_" ranted the spice trader, his flabbergasted expression discarded, replaced by flushed cheeks and indignant, misplaced anger. "A-All we needed to do was remove that damned _demon child_," here, he spat the two words like a foul curse, "and we'd get our businesses back!"

Indeed. It seemed all three owners were suffering from stagnant business drops. Naruko frequented near their shops - whether accidentally or on purpose, perhaps manipulated - and thus, this caused all village-goers knowledgeable of her special condition to avoid the businesses associated with her haunts. Neither three shop owners could act; the Sandaime would've immediately arrested and had the trio executed within an hour of arrest once he extracted the needed information. The Third Hokage hadn't left the village in six years since the Kyuubi attack. Shinichi and his cohorts couldn't touch the jinchuuriki child.

"... then, the Sandaime left for _three_ days! W-We were absolutely ecstatic! W-We could execute out plan! I-It was simple: find a pawn who hated the _demon_ and feed their hate with money and whispered words, to coax them into destroying that pathetic mockery of our village," he ranted, an insane giggle leaving his mouth. "B-But our pawn waited _too_ long. He was afraid, fearful of the ANBU swooping down on him like s-some ethereal bat!" he continued, ranting and spitting. Ibiki shook his head and stopped writing. Shinichi was incoherent.

"Yeah, yeah. _Shut up,_" he snarled, but the spice trader seemed ignorant to his words. Sighing, Ibiki pivoted on his heel and walked toward the single exit, ignoring Shinichi's continued ranting. But...

Ibiki couldn't help grinning.

He loved when a plan came together.

* * *

While Ibiki grilled the other two arrested councilmember's, the Sandaime had more important duties. Namely, visiting his wayward granddaughter. Tipping the wide-brimmed hat low, the Sandaime gazed upward, wizened eyes tracing the white-washed walls of Konoha General, one of the forerunners of medical innovation. If Tsunade hadn't fled, Konoha General Hospital would be _the_ undisputed leader in medicine, a wish she desperately wished to achieve at one point in her career. Now? Her thirst for medical knowledge was drowned in alcohol and gambling, two vices the sannin delved into without a single hesitation, to drown the sorrows of her past.

Sarutobi shook his head, casting those depressing thoughts to the darkest corner of his soul. He could wallow in his mistakes at another point. For now, Naruko needed him and he wouldn't disappoint the excitable child. His old bones creaked as he stepped forward, wrinkled hand pushing the see-through doors ajar, assaulted with the smell of antiseptic and cleaners, a veritable wall of white engulfing his vision. White stretched endlessly, from wall to wall, down the numerous branching hallways. He sighed wearily.

'_I hate hospitals,'_ he lamented, but still crossed the threshold, walking to the worn desk and the bored nurse, one whom immediately snapped to attention when the Third Hokage politely coughed into his fist.

"H-Hokage-sama!" she squeaked, tearing her eyes from an invisible spot on the wall and to the genial leader; a tag pinned to her blouse read 'Akiko-san, Desk Receptionist'. "H-How can I help you today, sir?" she said sweetly. Sarutobi resisted the urge to palm his face, but instead, he spoke politely.

"Yes, Akiko-san. I'd like to know where Naruko's room is, if you please," he requested. He saw the tell-tale scrunch of the nose, eyes narrowing and her entire, sweet demeanor disappearing almost entirely.

"Oh, yes. Naruto-san is in Room 438, fourth floor, Hokage-sama," she replied, her tone cold. Luckily, it seemed, she was smarter than the usual town-goers and kept her distaste of the jinchuuriki child hidden. Saurotobi nodded, robes billowing around his ankles as he pivoted, heading for the nearest stairwell, Akiko's disgruntled gaze boring into his back. He ignored the feeling with decades of experience. He received the same _look_ immeasurable times during his second reign. If he'd kept his mouth shut, perhaps told a _little_ white lie, Naruko wouldn't be in her current situation. He wallowed in his own guilt more times than was healthy, perhaps, but for good reason.

Orochimaru was his first enormous failure.

He wouldn't let Naruko become his second.

Firming his resolve, the wizened man hurried his steps.

* * *

Inside Room 438, Naruko stirred, consciousness slowly starting to swim back to the injured jinchuuriki.

It wasn't a pleasant return, either. Immediately, memories assaulting the forefront of her mind, pounding against her skull, throwing the young girl from blearily sleepiness to full awareness in seconds.

She could remember... she could _hear_ the crazed mutters of her assailant; she could feel imaginary blows raining down against her shuddering form, phantom pain throbbing throughout her entire form. She was ignorant of her current location and the state of her body, miraculously healed due to the nine-tailed foxes wish to keep her container _alive_ and in good health.

When she went to clutch the phantom pain stabbing through her stomach, the feel of cotton sheets brushing against her bare arms jolted the blond-haired jinchuuriki from her panic-induced delusions. Her dulled cerulean eyes took in the hospital room she was situated in, white-washed walls greeting her vision while the suffocating scent of antiseptic and cleaners assaulted her delicate sense of smell. She reeled back from this overpowering scent, scrunching her nose in distaste.

'_W... What is this p-place? I... I'm warm...?'_ she sounded confused.

_**'Yes, kit. You're in a hospital, a human place for healing, as I understand,'**_ replied Kyuubi to her container's question, breaking the child from her own, confused thoughts.

_'K... Kyuubi-san? Y-You're real? Y... Y-You mean that wasn't a dream?_' she questioned hesitantly. Her impromptu mind escapades slammed into the forefront of her mind, remembering the endless, encroaching darkness... the utter, hopeless feeling, the sheer, overwhelming presence of the bijuu when she met the other-worldly being. In her memories, she recalled the conversation: her agreement to accept the teachings of the Umbra Witches, to _accept_ the nine-tailed foxes chakra as her own. She recalled the disturbing words and immediately, hands flew to her head, blindly groping for additional, foxy features. Luckily, her head was barren, covered with only her own blond strands. Reaching down, she checked her spine for an additional limb here and found nothing once again, allowing the hated young girl to breath a sigh of relief for the dodged bullet.

'_W-Why am I here? I... T-They hate me..._' replied Naruko, unable to hold the depressing thought inside.

_**'Perhaps the humans who so detested you regretted their actions?'**_ replied Kyuubi, sounding distinctly amused at her own statement. From what little she'd seen of Naruko's memories, none of the human scum regretted their actions. She could recall the pleased glint in their gazes while they berated the adolescent. Naruko considered this, a swell of hope rising in her chest before a snort from her bijuu shattered the bubble. _**'No, kit. I doubt it,'**_ she finished.

'_W-Well... Why am I h-here then?'_ she wondered, but this time, received no answer from the jailed fox demon. Now that she was fully awake, she couldn't feel a single throb and it intrigued her, but Kyuubi answered before she could form the question.

_**'I healed you, kit. Remember? Accelerated regeneration?'**_ she prodded. Naruko bobbed her head in understanding.

_'R... Regenrtion?'_ questioned the blond.

_**'Regeneration. Basically, you heal fast. **_**Very ****fast,**_**'**_ she said, accentuating the last two words. Understanding dawned on the jinchuuriki. She remembered healing fast - _very_ fast - before and hadn't known the reason. Now, it seemed, the jailed wished to keep her jailer in perfect health. It wasn't quite worth the scorn of thousands, but it was better than nothing. Unfortunately, Kyuubi further interrupted her thoughts. _**'Kit, find a mirror. I want to see what changes happened,'**_ coaxed the demoness, jolting Naruko from her half-slumped position to ram-rod straight. She further recalled the foxes words: '..._you'd gain more distinguishing features...' '...touch more aggressive...'_

Naruko quick-scanned the sparse room, but found no mirror. Suddenly, a jingling handle jolted the young girl from her search, head snapping toward the door handle. Seconds later, it opened, a wrinkled hand holding the doorknob open before the Sandaime came into full view, wide-brimmed hat tipped low.

"Ojiisan!" cried the excited child, jolting the wizened man from his own musing thoughts. When her body started to move, Sarutobi held his hand up, stopping the excitable child before she could leap, stilling the patient successfully.

"Naruko-chan. I'm happy to see you," he replied, stepping into the sparsely decorated room and closing the door shut with a soft click. Several long strides later, the old man was beside the child's bedside, gazing down upon her uninjured form in surprise, thought it was kept hidden. "Naru-chan, I heard you were injured. Was the information exaggerated?" he prodded gently, causing Naruko to falter in her words. However, he did notice something intriguing; Naruko's hair was a shade darker and her whisker-like scars appeared slightly thicker, smothering the frown before it could appear. Was it a side-effect of the Kyuubi's chakra? While he didn't know the exact intricacies of the seal, he knew the demon could transfer it's chakra from themselves to the host to keep them healthy and heal extreme injuries. He filed the darkened features away for further study, but for now, his focus was on his granddaughter.

"I... I..." she seemed lost, confused, unsure how to reply to the genial Hokage.

_**'Tell him you're unsure how you were healed,'**_ coaxed the bijuu.

"I... I can't remember much, jiisan. I... I remember, u-um... fainting...?" she seemed unsure of her own words. Sarutobi nodded his head. "I... I'm not sure what h-happened then," she finished, her tone hesitant, the Sandaime smiling down at his charge.

"That's fine, Naru-chan. I wasn't expecting you to remember much," he said, soothing the worried jinchuuriki nerves. Her tone worried Sarutobi, however. She was lying, no matter how hesitant she appeared. Once more, he filed the information for later study. "As I understand, it was a traumatic experience. Unfortunately, we haven't captured the assailant, though I promise I'll do my best," replied the Third, drawing a relieved smile from his ward.

"T... Thank you, ojiisan," she murmured, unable to keep her eyes from starting to water. A sniffle, despite her best efforts, escaped from her. Seconds later, she felt warm arms encircle her body and without hesitation, she buried her face into the silken robes Sarutobi wore, a sob breaking the eerie silence in the sparse hospital room. She felt hands gently rubbing her back and soothing words echoing in her ears.

"It's alright, Naruko," murmured Sarutobi. "I'm here. No one else shall harm you. I promise," he whispered confidently, comforting the poor, distraught girl.

He had failed her once.

He wouldn't fail her again.

* * *

I'm glad for the support I've received. Seeing thousands of hits gives me the fuel to write this story. It means there's people interested and that gives me the steam to continue writing, to plunge forward into the depths of the unknown, otherwise known as fanfiction.

Here's the second chapter. If anyone had questions, well, I hoped these answered 'em. There wasn't much progression, time-wise, but I felt this chapter needed to be done. Once again, it was a shorter chapter, but I felt like this was a good ending point.

Once again, the next chapter should be updated within another week or two, three at the most.

Fixed a few spelling errors with the chapter and re-uploaded it.


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